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Home Subscribe About Us Features News Album Reviews Movie Reviews Past Movies Movie Resources Concert Reviews Book Reviews Top 10 Contact Us	Louis Sullivan: The Struggle for American Architecture Director/Scriptwriter/Narrator: Mark Richard Smith Including Interviews With: Aileen Mandel and Robert Twombly Cinematography: Pete Biagi Documentary Whitecap Films No rating but could be G Running Length: one hour and 40 minutes Winner of Best Documentary at the 2010 Kansas City Film Fest Louis Sullivan may not be a familiar household name, but every time you go into the heart of a metropolitan city---or pass smaller banks in the Midwest---you see his work. Sullivan, (1856-1924) was the forerunner of the modern skyscraper. His popularity was in the latter part of the 19th century, after the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, when stone and brick began replacing wood as major building material. As a child, Sullivan lived in the Boston area and went to school at MIT. He wanted to study architecture, and found studying classical models rather dull, so dropped out of school. He traveled to Chicago, and there, in this bustling city found the desire to study again. His style of work, which involved a great deal of ornamentation, was unique in that he designed the ornaments himself, rather than relying on prototypes. Thus, you would have a column with carved leaves atop, similar to a tree. His influence was nature. Some of his famous buildings include the St. Louis Wainwright Building, the Buffalo Guaranty Building, the old Chicago Stock Exchange and the massive Chicago arts building known simply as “The Auditorium,” that housed a 4000-seat theater. Sullivan, for many years, partnered with Dankmar Adler, which was the architectural firm of its day. However, times changed and new ideas came to the forefront, one of which was going back to classical design at the Columbian Exposition of 1893 (known as “The White City”) that was held in Chicago. Sullivan’s design was challenged by Daniel Bernham’s designs which included the Rookery Building and the Masonic Temple. Entering the 20th century, Sullivan and Adler parted ways and Sullivan began designing smaller projects. The “jewel box” banks throughout the Midwest, including Owatonna, Minnesota, stand out in rural areas and are built to last with ornamentation that is part of that particular area. Louis Sullivan’s ornamentation reminds one of the ornamentation of Bach’s time. There would be a melody that was embellished by trills, for example, to make the composition sound intricate. Such is building ornamentation, with a straight column or building facade and at the top, intricate designs reminiscent of tree tops. The classical designs of Greek were commonly used, but Sullivan’s mind came up with his own designs that stand out as unique and original. The use of parallel columns around an enormous building for support, and recessed windows, was new in 1890 and still used today. Just look around you and see Louis Sullivan’s influence in present-day skyscrapers. This documentary is beautifully photographed and the interviews add to your knowledge of architecture, history (especially Chicago) and the life of Louis Sullivan, an American original. Copyright 2010 Marie Asner * * * * * The Kansas International Film Festival (KIFF) is celebrating its 10th year. October 1-7, 2010 are the dates of the Festival and the location remains the same, the Glenwood Arts Theater Complex at 95th and Metcalf., Overland Park, Kansas, a western suburb of the greater Kansas City area. 55 films will be shown. The Kansas International Film Festival is one of 25 Film Festivals in the United States worth the entry fee as written by Jennifer M. Wood in the May 2010 issue of Movie Maker Magazine. KIFF is located online at www.KansasFilm.com with information on ticket pricing, movie descriptions and show times. 2010 film list includes the debut of the "Millennium Trilogy Documentary" about the late author Steig Larsson and later a showing of "The Girl Who Kicked The Hornets' Nest." Other films to be shown during the film festival include "Mesrine: Killer Instinct," "Jack Goes Boating," the documentary "Kansas City Murder Factory," "Conviction" starring Hilary Swank" and the documentaries, "Everyday Sunshine: Story of Fishbone, "Sounds of Beirut" and "Murder By Proxy: How America Went Postal." For more information go to www.KansasFilm.com or phone 1-913-642-4404.